


Friends in Exile

by DinoFun



Category: The Lion King (1994)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26474284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinoFun/pseuds/DinoFun
Summary: Alternate universe of Lion King where Mufasa is killed in the Elephant Graveyard and Simba and Nala go into exile together.
Relationships: Banzai/Shenzi (The Lion King), Ed/Jasiri (The Lion King), Kiara/Kovu (The Lion King), Mufasa/Sarabi (The Lion King), Nala/Simba (The Lion King), Scar/Zira (The Lion King)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Opening

**THE LION KING: FRIENDS IN EXILE  
________________________________________  
CHARACTERS  
________________________________________  
Simba Male Lion  
Nala Female Lion  
Zazu Male Hornbill  
Rafiki Male Mandrill  
Mufasa Male Lion  
Sarabi Female Lion  
Sarafina Female Lion  
Fellita (OC) Female Ostrich  
Woga (OC) Male Zebra  
Timon Male Meerkat  
Pumbaa Male Warthog  
Kiara Female Lion  
Kovu Male Lion  
Ed Male Hyena  
Jasiri Female Hyena  
Banzai Male Hyena  
Hofu(OC) Male Jackal  
Hyena Clan Mixed Hyena  
Lastig (OC) Male Hornbill  
Betken (OC) Female Hornbill  
Zira Female Lion  
Shenzi Female Hyena  
Scar Male Lion  
________________________________________  
OPENING  
______________________  
**

It was the dawn of a new day in the Pridelands in the Serengeti in Africa. The Pridelands had awoken to wonderful news, the lion king Mufasa and his wife Sarabi had had a son. Animals from all over the Pridelands had gathered at Pride Rock to watch the presentation of the son and heir of the king: Simba. The cub had been born the previous night and Mufasa had sent his majordomo, Zazu the hornbill, along with other winged messengers, throughout his realm.  
Zazu flew over the caravans of elephants, zebras, giraffes, leopards, crocodiles, ostriches, and other animals. “They’re all here. All one schedule, except the hippos. They were too busy chatting and not listening to me and they’re going to be a few minutes late. I told them that you wouldn’t be happy.” he informed the king and queen.  
Mufasa sighed. Zazu was a good majordomo, but sometimes he got caught up in the small details and cared too much. “Don’t worry about the hippos. As long as they’re here, it’s fine.”  
“Where’s Rafiki? Why does he always have to be late? He’s supposed to be the one presenting Simba and he’s not even here. He’s holding up the ceremony.” Zazu grumbled.  
“I’m sure he’s working on something important and will be here soon.” Queen Sarabi remarked.  
Rafiki, meanwhile, was gathering a bunch of fruits. He was about to take a bite out of one when suddenly he remembered the presentation. “Now time to eat now! I’m late for the presentation!” he cried. He sprinted as quickly as his two legs could carry him and didn’t stop running until he had reached the top of Pride Rock and stood before the king and queen.  
“Sorry that I am late your most esteemed Majesties.” he said, groveling before them.  
“It’s ok Rafiki. You didn’t miss anything.” Mufasa said. Zazu shook his head. That mandrill seemed to be late to everything important. Why did Mufasa put up with it?  
Zazu flew out past the edge of Pride Rock and hovered over the crowd. “Attention ladies and gentlemen, the presentation of Prince Simba, the future King of Pride Rock, is about to begin.” he said.  
There crowd below went wild with cheering. Most of them respected Mufasa and those that disagreed with many of decisions had had enough sense to keep their mouths shut. Not that anyone hadn’t tried to rebel against Mufasa. Some jackals had tried to start a rebellion but had been unable to get the other animals to support the effort. Mufasa had banished the rebellious jackals the previous day. But today would be a happy day for him.  
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to present the new prince and the future king of Pride Rock, Simba!” Zazu said to the crowd. The crowd went wild with cheering. Rafiki came forward, holding the young lion cub.  
The young cub stared at the crowd below, curious as to what was going on. Everyone there seemed to be happy about the birth of the future king, especially Mufasa and his wife Sarabi.


	2. Chapter One: Scar and Mufasa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scar and Mufasa, though brothers, don't get along well, as Scar is jealous that his older brother is king and Simba's birth has kept him from being the next in line.

****

CHAPTER ONE: SCAR AND MUFASA

______________________________  
However, there was one member of the Pridelands that was anything but happy about the birth of young Simba. It was Mufasa’s brother, Scar. He hadn’t even bothered to attend the presentation at all. The birth of the young cub had ended his hope of succeeding his older brother as king. He was born a mere half a second after his brother yet that half second had given Mufasa the throne instead of him. It wasn’t fair!   
Right at the moment, he was feeling hungry; he spotted a mouse. He quickly pounced upon it and seized it by the tail. “Life’s not fair.” he said. “I don’t get to be king and you don’t get to see the light of another day.” He was about to put the mouse into his mouth when Zazu flew in.   
“Hello Zazu, I was just about to have my lunch.”  
“You were supposed to be at the presentation today!”  
“Oops, silly me, must have overslept.” He turned to look at the mouse, but it had broken free and fled while he had focused on Zazu. “You made me lose my lunch.”  
“Getting lunch? Doesn’t look like you were just sleeping, now does it? But never matter, when the king hears that you didn’t attend the ceremony, he’s going to be furious! And don’t’ try that ‘I overslept.’ nonsense. It won’t work on me and it most certainly won’t work on him.”  
“You lost me my lunch.” Scar said again.  
“You’re going to lose more than that when Mufasa gets here!”  
“Am I?” The lion moved toward Zazu and backed him into a corner.  
“Scar, don’t even think about…..” Scar caught the bird in his mouth. As Mufasa walked in, only Zazu’s beak was sticking out of Scar’s mouth.   
“Scar, spit him out!” Mufasa commanded.   
“Impeccable timing Your Majesty.”  
Scar obeyed, spitting out the hornbill and leaving him splattered on the ground, covered in saliva.  
“As my brother you should have been first in line today at the presentation.”  
“I was first in line until the little hairball was born!”  
“That ‘hairball’ is my son and your future king!”  
“I was hoping to be king.”  
“Well, that isn’t going to happen.”  
“Pity.” Scar began to walk away.  
“Don’t turn your back on me Scar!” Mufasa snapped.   
“Maybe you shouldn’t turn your back on me, Mufasa.”   
Mufasa roared and ran in front of Scar and blocked his way. “Was that a challenge?” he snapped.  
“Me? Challenge you? I might have the lion’s share of brains, but when it comes to brute strength, I’m at the shallow end of the gene pool.”  
“Are you sure you won’t have a go?” Zazu said.  
“I’m afraid I don’t have time at the moment. You see, my schedule is very booked at the moment and I just can’t fit it in.” Scar replied, rolling his eyes at the hornbill.   
“Yes, because the last time you challenged Mufasa, you got your scar.” Zazu said derisively.   
That was true. He had been named Taka beforehand. Scar was furious that Mufasa had gotten the better of him that day. He felt that he should have beaten Mufasa that day, but he lacked the strength to do it. He couldn’t overpower Mufasa, so his best hope was to find some way to outsmart him.   
“Thank you for bringing that up. I really appreciate it.” Scar said sarcastically.   
“I expect better out of you from now on Scar.” Mufasa said.  
“Yes, of course.” his brother replied. He exited the cave, leaving Mufasa and Zazu alone. 


	3. Chapter Two: Lastig and Betken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mufasa isn't the only one that has a bad apple in the family; poor Zazu has two of them. He never got along with his cousin Lastig and his wife Betken, the former wanting the job of majordomo for himself.

****

CHAPTER TWO: LASTIG AND BETKEN

__________________________________  
“There’s one in every family, Sire. Two in mine.” Zazu sighed. He thought of his pesky cousin Lastig and his wife Betken. Lastig wanted to be majordomo. It was a good thing that he was Mufasa’s majordomo instead of his cousin. Lastig’s advice, if followed by Mufasa, would send the Pridelands down a dark path.  
A few minutes after leaving Mufasa, he came across his cousin Lastig. “Hello Wazoo.” he said mockingly to his cousin. Zazu scowled. He hated when Lastig made fun of his name.  
“it’s Zazu!” the hornbill grumbled.  
“Whatever.” laughed Lastig.  
“Why don’t you make like the wind and go blow someplace else?” Zazu snapped at him.  
“Why don’t you be like a clam and keep your mouth shut?” Lastig laughed.  
“Oh real cute.” Zazu scowled.  
“How did you get made majordomo?” came a voice. It was Betken, Lastig’s wife.  
“Because I’m knowledgeable and reliable.” Zazu replied, glaring at the couple with great distaste.  
“Says who?” laughed Lastig.  
“Said Mufasa.” Zazu retorted.  
“His mistake.” Betken said.  
“I don’t know why I waste my time arguing with you two. You’re the blackbirds of the entire family!” Zazu snapped at them.  
“Oh look, it’s Mufasa!” Lastig cried. Zazu turned around and Lastig bopped him in the nose. ‘You’re so gullible!” he laughed.  
“That’s not funny!” Zazu snapped, rubbing his beak.  
“I thought it was.” Betken laughed.  
Zazu fumed; he began to sing.  
“I’ve worked hard to be where I am.  
And all you do is lie, cheat, and scam.”  
“What can I say, I’m unique.” Lastig sang.  
“Oh shut your lying beak.” Zazu sang.  
“You just wish that you were me.” Lastig sang.  
“Oh what a bizarre day that would be!” Zazu sang in reply.  
“Thanks to your bad advice, Mufasa is running the Pridelands into the ground.  
But if I were majordomo, I could turn it all around.  
“Oh, if only Mufasa would give that job to me.”  
“Well, as long as I have it, that’ll be an impossibility.”  
“Just admit it Zazu, I’m your better!”  
“The only thing that you should be is bound with a fetter!”  
“I’d be better than you, guaranteed!”  
“Oh you’re so filled with greed!”  
“If I advised the king, all would be grand.”  
“If you advised the king, it would be the ruin of the land!”  
“If power would come my way.”  
“Oh I hope I never see that day!”  
“The Pridelands would be in such good hands.”  
“I don’t know how much more of this I’ll be able to stand!”  
“I should be given a chance for goodness sake!”  
“Why can’t I get lucky and have you be eaten by a snake?”  
“Oh I’m a perfect bird. A one of a kind.”  
“No sleazier hornbill can you find.”  
“I’m better than you, there’s no doubt.”  
“How long are you going to continue to sit here and pout?”  
“I should have the job.  
I can handle it can’t you see?  
It was clearly meant for me.”  
“That will never be!”  
“It’s clearly meant…”  
“You’ll never get…..”  
“It’s clearly meant…”  
“Oh you’d best forget…..”  
“It’s clearly meant……”  
“”It’s never meant……”  
“for me!”  
“to be!”  
A few seconds after they had finished singing, a breeze rushed by them. “Here that Zazu?” Lastig asked. “That’s the winds of change.”  
“If only it would blow you and Betken away from here!”  
The ground at their feet began to shake. The trio looked down as a gopher’s head popped out of the ground, coming out of the tunnel that he’d excavated. “The king wants to see you right away Zazu!”  
“Well, I’m afraid I can’t stay and chat. I am the king’s majodomo after all, so, toodeloo!” He began to fly off.  
“You haven’t heard the last of us!” Betken called after him.  
“If only I could be so lucky as to have that happen.” Zazu sighed miserably. 


	4. Chapter Three: Simba and Mufasa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mufasa shows Simba the kingdom.

****

CHAPTER THREE: SIMBA AND MUFASA

* * *

It was about an hour before dawn in the Pridelands. Young Simba stirred. Today was the day he had been waiting for. Though it was early, he couldn’t go back to sleep. His father was going to show him the kingdom today. He ran across the den, stepping over, and sometimes on, sleeping lionesses as he moved toward his father and mother. “Dad, get up! Come on, get up! Today’s the day!” he cried excitedly.  
Mufasa groaned Simba’s antics had also woken up Sarabi. “Your son is up.” she said.  
“Before the sun is up, he’s your son!” Mufasa replied.  
Sarabi groaned. “Simba, please wait an hour. It’s not even dawn yet.” she said.  
“But I can’t go back to sleep!” Simba protested.  
“Then just wait here till your father is up.”  
“But that’s boring!”  
“I’m afraid some things in life are boring Simba; you’ll just have to learn to put up with them.”  
To amuse himself, Simba began to prance all around the cave, stepping on lionesses that were asleep, or at least trying to be, in the process. They all groaned as Simba walked on them.  
“Simba, cut it out!” Sarabi snapped at him.  
“Sorry Mom.” he replied. He sat there impatiently for an hour, which seemed to him to drag on forever. Finally, sunrise came, and Mufasa awoke. As Mufasa stood up and stretched and yawned, Simba piped excitedly “It’s time! It’s time! Let’s go! Let’s go!”  
“All right.” Mufasa laughed.   
He took him outside of the cave and to the top of Pride Rock; the two could see all of the Pridelands stretched out before them. “Everything that the light touches is our kingdom.” Mufasa told his son.  
“What about that part out there where it doesn’t touch?” Simba asked.  
“That is the Outlands. I am not king there.”  
“Why don’t you go make yourself king of it?”  
“They don’t want me to be their king.”  
“Who cares? Make yourself king of it anyway!”  
“While others search for what they can take, a true king searches for what he can give.”  
Simba didn’t understand what he meant. “When do I get to have it?” he asked, eager to start bossing everyone around.  
Mufasa sighed. “One day the sun will set on my time and rise on yours as the new king.” he replied.   
Simba didn’t quite get what his father had meant by the sunset and sunrise references and said “So I get to be king tomorrow morning?” he asked hopefully.   
Mufasa groaned. “No, it means that I won’t be king forever.”  
“That’s ok, when you’re done, you could let me be king.” Simba suggested.  
“It’s not quite like that.” Mufasa laughed.  
“What do you mean?”  
“Someday I will die and you will be the new king.”  
“But I don’t want you to die!”  
“It can’t be helped.”  
“How come?”  
Mufasa thought how best to explain it. Finally, he said “You know that we eat the antelope, right?”  
“Right.” Simba replied, wondering what antelope had anything to do with his father dying someday.  
“When we eat the antelope, they die.”  
“So?”  
“So they die to feed us.”  
“And what does that have to do with you dying?”  
“When we die, our bodies become part of the grass. And the antelope eat the grass. So it’s all part of the circle of life. It’s a cycle. Nobody lives forever.”  
Simba still didn’t quite understand. “Ok, so we’re all going to die someday, but what’s this circle of life thing?”  
“There is a delicate balance, between each of the creatures in the Pridelands as well as with the land. For centuries, we have maintained it and avoided serious trouble.”  
“I’m sure as king I can handle it, no problem.” Simba said confidently.  
“It’s a tough job, one you must constantly work at.”  
“I can handle it, no problem.”  
“It’s not that easy. It gives even me trouble.”  
“I thought nothing gave you trouble.”  
“Well, you are enough of a handful for your mother and I combined.”  
“Oh, I can’t be that bad, can I?”  
“Sometimes.”  
“So, do you think that I’ll be a good king?”  
“I hope so. You’re not ready to be king yet.”  
“Why don’t you think so?”  
“You’re not mature enough yet.”  
“When will I be?”  
“When you’re older and I’ve taught you more.”  
“Can’t wait for that to happen!”  
“Neither can I! Trust me!” Mufasa laughed.


End file.
